


Lepidopterophobia

by Sheogorath



Series: Post-Greymarch [5]
Category: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Genre: Gen, Humour, Phobia, The Shivering Isles, crackfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-18
Updated: 2013-01-18
Packaged: 2017-11-25 21:58:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/643388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sheogorath/pseuds/Sheogorath
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if the time spent in the Butterfly Room had left its effect on Sheogorath, an effect which worsened His chronic hypomania?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lepidopterophobia

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Lepidopterophobia](https://archiveofourown.org/works/613015) by [Aelia_D](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aelia_D/pseuds/Aelia_D). 



> This story was inspired by the title of one of Aelia_D's Skyrim fics, so she said I could nick it for this slightly similar tale. I also hold my hand up to nicking some of Dyus of Mytheria's dialogue from the TESIV: Oblivion DLC, The Shivering Isles.

Haskill wasn't sure when the latest manifestation of Sheogorath's madness had actually begun, he only really noticed once it was fully established, observing the Prince of Madness jumping away from nothing.

"What is the matter, my Lord?" he asked.

"It was just there! Didn't you see it?"

"See what, my Lord?"

"A great big fluorescent flutterby!"

"Don't You mean bu-"

The Lord of the Never There hastily clapped a hand over His chamberlain's mouth.

"Ssh, not where they can hear you!" He hissed. "They have brilliant hearing and are everywhere! They can even make whole rooms out of themselves!"

"They're just insects,my Lord," the Breton reasonably pointed out. "How can they possibly harm You?"

"I'll tell you once we're out of earshot."

✱   ✱   ✱

Once inside His palace, Sheogorath quietly said, "The flutterbyes stick their probosces in My head and put thoughts I don't like in there."

"What type of thoughts, my Lord?"

"That you're going to contact the Dark Brotherhood and have Me killed, Haskill. You wouldn't do that, would you?"

"Why in Oblivion would I want You dead, my Lord?"

"Precisely!" the Madgod cried out. "And now that's over with, CHEESE!"

✱   ✱   ✱

The following day, Haskill went to Knifepoint Hollow to speak to Dyus of Mytheria, thankful that his Lord hadn't seen fit to strip Jyggalag's former chamberlain of his immortality, thus allowing him to die. He was greeted almost as soon as he entered the overgrown ruins of the Great Library.

"Step forward, chamberlain of Madness. Speak with me if you would."

Once Haskill had come close enough, the human library continued, "I have been waiting for you, Haskill. This day, as all days before and after, is well known to me. There are no surprises to Dyus of Mytheria. Sheogorath has fallen further into madness and you seek the means to halt His decline. You seek a way of stabilising His mental state. However, you lack the knowledge necessary to discover one. So here you are in my prison, seeking to treat the one who placed me here. If you wish to medicate the Madgod, then ask me what you will."

"I can _medicate_ my Lord? How?"

"There is a potion, the recipe of which only I know, that can cure Sheogorath's hypomania. Of course, because of His status as the Daedric Prince of Madness, He will only recover so far, then be maintained at that level of insanity for as long as He takes the medicine."

After saying this, Dyus of Mytheria recited a list of ingredients required to make the potion for Sheogorath, the final item of which Haskill balked at.

"'A piece of the affected person'? And how would I get _that_ without harming my Lord?"

"One would normally use a hair, but since Sheogorath is now an Argonian, I suppose a piece of His cast off skin from when He next sheds will have to do. I know that He trusts you to help Him clear His nictitating membranes, and will not consume whatever skin another has touched."

Haskill agreed that this was true, then left to gather the necessary items for the potion.

✱   ✱   ✱

Two months after first approaching Dyus of Mytheria, the chamberlain of Madness re-entered Knifepoint Hollow, this time carrying a small sack. However, he had no chance to say anything on this occasion as he was prevented from doing so by the one he had come to see.

"I already know that Sheogorath has become worse and is even now jumping at butterflies, though the season for them has passed. Nevertheless, there is no cause for worry, His fear of them will also pass in time. Now, give me the items I requested."

Haskill handed the sack to the immortal Imperial, then asked him, "Will you teach me how to make my Lord's medicine?"

"I will not," came the blunt answer.

" _Why_ not?"

"Because I have come to appreciate company and have suffered its lack ever since the Madgod's last visit. I would have you come to bring ingredients every time the Prince of Madness sheds His skin, and again to collect the finished medicine. Now leave while I brew Sheogorath's potion."

"When should I collect it?"

"You may return after a week and a day, that will be next Middas."

Without saying another word, Haskill turned and left. He returned the following week for the potion, then went for a refill every month thereafter.

✱   ✱   ✱

At the start of the butterfly season the next year, while serving Sheogorath His breakfast, Haskill asked, "Is there anything the matter with the flutterbyes this year, my Lord?"

"Don't you mean butterflies, Haskill? And what could possibly be wrong with them?"

The chamberlain only gave a small smile of satisfaction to this, well pleased at how things had turned out. He even began humming a little tune. His soft singing abruptly stopped and a cold wash of dread swept over him, however, when the Madgod then added, "The moths, on the other hand..."

**Author's Note:**

> Copyright © 2013 Romersa's Protégé. Individuals and groups are free to copy and share this work for all purposes except large scale distribution, subject to credit being given and any derivatives being released under the same or a similar licence. All other rights reserved. Produced with permission from Bethesda Softworks.


End file.
